Acceptance
by thewinchesterlifestyle
Summary: Once Cas had finally stumbled his way back to the bunker, cleaned up, ate something, slept and got some new clothes he was fine. No break down. No complaining about being a human. Nothing to indicate that he'd even cared about being an angel to begin with. He adapted. Learned. Fought. Hunted with them. Could out eat even Dean himself. He accepted no longer being an angel.


Disclaimer: If you recognize it then I don't own it.

Pairing: Cas/Dean

* * *

Once Cas had finally stumbled his way back to the bunker, cleaned up, ate something, slept and got some new clothes he was fine. No break down. No complaining about being a human. Nothing to indicate that he'd even cared about being an angel to begin with.

He adapted. Learned. Fought. Hunted with them. Could out eat even Dean himself. He accepted no longer being an angel.

Both Dean and Sam watched Castiel for a break. For the moment he just lost it or even when being a human became too much for him. But Cas seemed to accept it with no difficulties. So they stopped watching him with worry and started adapting to having a third partner hunting with them.

Cas learned to drive. Helped with research. And fought alongside them as he had before just without the added angelic powers. Even helped hustle pool in bars.

Until he heard the snap of bone breaking and the sound of pain. His head whipped towards the sound staring at Dean on the ground, a demon standing over him, in clear pain. Fury shot through him as he took the demon killing knife thrusting it up into the chest cavity of the demon attacking him before he was across the room and running the knife through Dean's attacker. The body hit the floor and he dropped to his knees before the hunter.

"Dean." it was pained as he slowly reached out a hand, touching the side of the hunter's face, only to watch as nothing happened. Green eyes were still filled with pain and the bone was still broken.

He had never missed his grace as much as he did in that moment.

"Cas." the word was infused with pain that Dean was trying to cover up as Sam finished dealing with the remaining demon in the other room. "'s just a break." voice slightly slurred from pain and Cas couldn't breathe.

His grace was gone.

He couldn't heal Dean.

He had failed and now Dean was hurt.

"I'm sorry." it was choked and he struggled to breathe, to swallow down the ache and crushing sorrow that was cutting off his air. The backs of his eyes burned and he could feel something trailing down his cheeks. A broken sound caught his ears before he realized it was coming from him. "I'm so sorry Dean. I'm not an angel. I can't help you."

The dam broke even as his hand absentmindedly stroked at Dean's cheek, trying to offer some kind of comfort as he mentally stumbled and broke down. He could feel warm arms pulling him closer, heard a slight hiss of pain, before the scent of Dean filled his nose.

Face pressed into Dean's neck as he sat there awkwardly on the ground, hand having fallen from Dean's face to grip at the fabric of his shirts, just allowing himself to fall apart. The realization that something could happen to Dean or even Sam and he couldn't save them was tearing at his still so very new soul.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." it was murmured against the warm skin there. In the back of his mind he remembered how bright Dean's soul was and how selfless his hunter could be. The very fact that Dean, who had just snapped a bone, was trying to comfort him showcased this fact. "Sorry." broken and full of pain he didn't even notice Sam's footsteps.

"Not your fault Cas. Never your fault." whispered softly and reassuringly against the side of his head. Breath moving the dark hairs there when Dean had spoken. "I've had worse and healed just fine. Promise. Just means someone else is going to have to cook." it was light and teasing with a hint of pain in his voice, but Cas knew it was for his benefit before he felt another hand resting on him.

There was a reassuring squeeze before Sam's voice caught his attention, "It will be ok Cas. We're going to be fine and now you can see what a big baby Dean is when he is hurt."

"We can get your wings back Cas. We can find a way to get Metatron and then you'll be better." Dean's voice was filled with conviction and Cas knew the hunter had pushed the pain back to the darkest corner of his mind to focus on this. Felt warmth bloom in his chest as the words washed over him, comforting and full of honest promise. Of strong conviction. "You'll be an angel again. Be able to go home." it was said softly. If he hadn't been so close he wouldn't have heard the slight hitch in Dean's voice, the slight tensing of his muscles, even as he spoke with his typical confidence.

Cas shifted and fell back to land on his ass, legs tingling as the blood rushed to return, but he ignored the discomfort staring at Dean. Saw the flash of emotion across his face as the hunter moved his hand down to touch his own leg even as he continued to stare at Cas.

The fallen angel heard Sam shift behind him, "Home?" it was whispered in surprise as he stared at Dean. The whole world seemed to fall away when he did that ever since the first time he laid eyes on Dean's soul in Hell.

"Yeah Cas. We'll get you home." Castiel's eyebrows furrowed as his head tilted.

Body slightly exhausted from the outpouring of emotions and worry he still felt screaming at the back of his mind about Dean's broken leg he pushed forward to focus on something far more important. But he moved forward grabbing Dean and pulling the surprised hunter to him. Instead of hugging Dean again he started kissing him. Felt how Dean froze under him before a hesitant response that grew far more confident and deliberate as he kissed back.

Then Castiel pulled back to stare at Dean, "I am home. You misunderstood me in that bar Dean. I was always going to fall." his fists clenched as he looked down at Dean's leg. "My choice was just taken from me."

"You were?" it was soft and unsure.

It drew Castiel's attention as he looked up at Dean and knew what the hunter was thinking, had seen into Dean's very soul so he knew, "I would never leave you. I just wish I could heal you. I don't like when you're hurt."

He moved back and slowly began moving to help Dean stand, taking the hunter's weight, as they turned to look at Sam who was smiling slightly. "About damn time."

A flush moved across Castiel's cheeks at the implications of the statement, "We need to get Dean to the hospital."

"Yeah. Pain medication and a cast. Going to be a fun visit as always." joking and light as Dean threw a glare at Sam who was leading the way towards the Impala.

"Bite me Sam." it was grumbled as he tried not to jostle his injury, a few hisses of pain escaping as they move away from the warehouse, leaning more into Cas as they moved. "I deserve pie. Lots of pie Sam."

"Maybe if you took better care of yourself and didn't eat so much pie this wouldn't happen."

Dean snorted, "Yes because eating rabbit food would prevent demons from attacking me and my ability to fall at the wrong angle. Makes complete sense." sarcasm heavy in the words and it was clear that Sam was successfully distracting Dean from the pain. "Cas will get me pie because he cares about my suffering."

The comment caused Castiel to smile as they continued to move towards the car. Body relaxed and mind moving away from the earlier panic though he'd resolved to keep a better eye on Dean when on hunts in the future. Grace or not he was going to do everything in his power to keep Dean safe.

Now he needed to learn how to cook since Dean was going to be down for weeks.


End file.
